Outlander has some fresh family drama on its hands.
Charles Vandervaart has been cast as William Ransom, the secret son of Jamie (Sam Heughan) on the upcoming seventh season of the historical epic.
So who the heck is William? Allow Starz to explain: "Raised by his stepfather, Lord John Grey (David Berry), William, the ninth Earl of Ellesmere, is a highly anticipated character from the book series. In season seven, William arrives in Wilmington full of patriotic zeal and enthusiasm to join the British Army and help put an end to the escalating tensions in the American Colonies."
To take it even further back, William was conceived on the eve of Geneva Dunsany's wedding to elderly Ludovic Ransom, Eighth Earl of Ellesmere, when Geneva blackmailed Jamie into sleeping with her. Geneva died after complications following William's birth and Lord Ellesmere raised him as his own.
The character of William first appeared on Outlander's third season in 2017 but Jamie remains unaware of their connection—though the signs are starting to show.
The network adds that William may seem like a refined aristocrat but "simmering under the surface is a Highlander's fire." Something tells us this family reunion will be worth watching.
As for the actor bringing William to life, Vandervaart appeared in season three of Netflix's Lost In Space in 2021 and in the 2020 film The Craft: Legacy. Born in Toronto, the 21-year-old has also appeared regularly on the Canadian drama Murdoch Mysteries.
Outlander showrunner Matthew B. Roberts welcomed Charles/William to the Fraser family and teased the new season.
"Scotland will again be our production home as the Frasers and MacKenzies try to make a home against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War," he said. "This season promises more adventure, time travel and emotional peril than any season before."
The sixth season of Outlander wrapped on May 1 with Jamie, once again, ripped away from Claire (Caitriona Balfe). But with the imminent arrival of William in season seven, it looks like Jamie is going to have his hands full.